Who Knows What Fate May Hold For You
by Spiral of Destiny
Summary: A new danger has come to threaten the Blade Children. Concerned for their safety, Eyes Rutherford returns to Japan to assist in the fight. With new allies and enemies all appearing at once, its difficult to tell who wants to save you and who wants to destroy you. Read and see how the Blade Children cope with these new dangers and see which way fate will play out. Sorry, bad summary
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning of It All

Disclaimer: I do not own Spiral: Suiri No Kizuna. All ownership and credit for the story goes to Kyo Shirodaira and Eita Mizuno. I only claim ownership of this original fanfiction story and the OCs included within.

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The heavy rain pattered endlessly against the broad glass windows of the room belonging to the famous pianist, Eyes Rutherford. Said pianist stood motionless before one of the great glass panes that made up the entirety of the walls in his massive penthouse apartment. He had only recently returned to Japan for his second visit since the time of his original Japan debut months before. Since his arrival, the rain had not lightened and the relentless dreariness it brought with it did little to improve Eyes' already apathetic mood. Slowly, he turned away from the window and walked farther into the room. He seated himself before a massive, nine foot Yamaha concert grand piano. Bearing the color of ebony, it was the focal point of the room and seemed to easily dwarf the seventeen year old performer that sat before it. Its lid was raised to full capacity, revealing the well-cared for strings and frame within. Eyes Rutherford sat motionless before the massive instrument for several minutes before slowly sighing and raising his hands to the keys. He placed his fingers delicately upon the keys and skillfully began to play. The melody that was produced was one of quiet grace and calm. Its melody was somber and carried an almost lonely feeling as the notes were carried up from within the piano and allowed to permeate the full interior of the room. The theme of the piece seemed to fit the current mood of the young pianist, and as he played, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to be immersed into the music. As the performance continued, the piece took on an almost haunting aspect, turning from a melody of calm grace to one of sorrow and loneliness, only to be quickly uplifted once more with rapid yet muted trills to bring the mood out of the darkness once again. The piece that the young pianist was playing was a composition by the eighteenth century Austrian composer and virtuoso, Franz Liszt. It was the third composition of Liszt's Harmonies poétiques et religieuses (Poetic and Religious Harmonies). The composition bore the title of Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude, which translates to "The Blessing of God in Solitude". It was a personal favorite of the young performer and held a certain amount of hope for him.

Eyes Rutherford was part of a group of people known as the Blade Children. The Blade Children were seen as cursed children that needed to be destroyed; wiped from the face of the earth. For this reason, the Blade Children, Eyes included, had been forced to turn to murder in order to survive. "Kill or be killed". That was the creed of the Blade Children. By abiding by it, they had managed to stay alive. Many other Blade Children were still engaged in this battle for existence and survival, but fate had been kinder to Eyes than it had been to others. A child prodigy, Eyes had risen to fame in the music world by the time he was fourteen and had been labeled as the 'savior of the music world' soon after. This fame had kept those who desired his death at a safe distance. As a result, he had been able to live a much safer and more privileged life than the others that shared his curse. However, his fame and popularity did not make him exempt from the dangers of his curse, nor did it cleanse the sins of his past. At only seventeen, Eyes Rutherford had already stained his hands countless times with the blood of those trying to kill him. He had killed so many. More than he could ever atone for. Eyes knew this well. He knew that all that awaited him was darkness and that he, along with all the other Blade Children, could not be saved. Yet somewhere inside Eyes there was a part of him that was still clinging to the hope of salvation. This small shred of hope that he clung so desperately to came in the form of a man named Kiyotaka Narumi; a man who had promised a way to save the Blade Children. Despite his apprehension, Eyes couldn't altogether disregard Narumi's words. The hope that he could still be saved trumped all logic and reasoning. It was this hope that he desperately grasped for. Eyes wasn't a religious man, but he still prayed that there was a way for them to be forgiven; that there was a way for the Blade Children to be saved.

Eyes continued to play, the rain adding a harmonic contrast to the somber melody. The music danced its way around the room, filling it with the sound of the piano. No amplification devices were equipped to the young pianist's piano, but the skill and ability of his playing allowed the sound to echo through the room, easily equaling the volume of an amplified instrument. However, the powerful feelings that the music would normally evoke in others seemed to have relatively little effect on the young performer. His features were like stone as he played, never faltering or changing as he shifted through the stanzas of the piece. The melody seemed as though it was unable to reach the soul of the man and draw out the emotions it was striving to create. However, this was not uncommon for the young Englishman. Long ago, Eyes Rutherford had sealed away his emotions out of fear of them making him too weak to survive. He had rationalized that his murderous actions had made him no better than a demon, and so it was for the best that he have no emotions or feelings to hold him back when he was forced to face his destiny. It was a childish notion concocted by a child not at all skilled enough in the ways of the world to make such decisions. As Eyes had grown older, he had realized the foolishness of his reasoning and had even come to accept his fate. He was even able to come to terms with the fear that constantly plagued him, however, he had never been able to reclaim those lost emotions he had sealed away so long ago. Perhaps it was better that way. Eyes Rutherford had no capacity for sadness and he knew it. He was even okay with it. Sadness brought only suffering and he felt that he had enough suffering to deal with without placing sadness into the mix. But what he refused to accept was the reality that simply throwing away the ability to cry does not destroy the feelings of sadness that accompany tears. It may indeed mask the feelings of grief, but it will still remain.

In supposedly sad times, Eyes often thought of the words his best friend, Kanone Hilbert, had once said to him. _"Eyes, listen to me. It's best to cry when you want to cry. Sometimes it's good to hold back your tears, but very shortly it will become natural and soon you'll be unable to feel anything at all." _Kanone had told him those words on the day of Eyes' mother's funeral. He had been unable to cry that day as well and had rationalized it with the logic that crying doesn't change anything. Kanone had stopped him and confronted him about his desire to seal away his tears, but Eyes had tuned him out. Now, years later, Eyes had to admit that Kanone had been right in what he had said. By sealing off his tears, he had also sealed off his ability to feel much of anything. But Eyes had yet to decide whether that was a bad thing or not. Perhaps when he saw Kanone next he would ask him.

Wordlessly, Eyes concluded the piece and slowly opened his eyes. The entire composition had taken the course of twenty minutes to complete. Eyes rose from the piano and returned to the window. The piece had gotten him thinking about the fate of the Blade Children and what awaited them. Was their future to be filled with only darkness or was the light of hope to be had as Kiyotaka said? He prayed to whatever god might be out there that hope and salvation really could exist for them.

He was pulled from his thoughts as a sharp stabbing pain coursed its way through the left side of his chest. He quickly pressed his hand over his side, placing it over the seventh rib on his left side in an attempt to ease the sharp pain that continued to persist. This pain was a part of the Blade Children's curse. He knew that all of the others were forced to bear that same cursed mark. He shut his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth in pain, doubling over slightly and leaning against the window for support. He knew that the agonizing pain would pass momentarily and that he just needed to wait it out, but the time it took seemed to get longer every time the pain occurred. When the pain had dissipated once more he returned his attention to the world beyond the window. Reuniting with the other Blade Children was the whole reason he had returned to Japan. Danger was coming and it was going to be far worse than what they had faced before. Regardless of whether he was a celebrity or not, Eyes refused to stand by in safety while the others dealt with this new threat alone. He had already informed his manager that he was taking an extended leave of absence and that he wouldn't take no for an answer. For the time being, he was free from the obligations of his career, which gave him the added mobility that he needed to be able to assist his friends. Now all he needed to do was find them.

Turning once again from the window, he focused his attention on the clock that was suspended against the one solid wall in the otherwise windowed room. The time read 2:30am, causing Rutherford to give a slightly irritated sigh. Morning would come soon enough. When it did, he would be able to do what he came back to Japan to do. But for now all he could do was wait. With a final glance back at the window, he left the glass room and quietly retired for what was left of the night.


	2. Chapter 2: Connections

Disclaimer: I do not own Spiral: Suiri No Kizuna. All ownership and credit for the story goes to Kyo Shirodaira and Eita Mizuno. I only claim ownership of this original fanfiction story and the OCs included within.

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The morning's light opened upon a clearer day. During the remainder of the night, the rain had ceased. Only a slight drizzling marked the fact that the rain had ever been there at all. Eyes Rutherford rose early, having had very little success with sleep. He dressed himself quickly and left the apartment. As he made his way down the street and out of sight of his apartment, he withdrew a cell phone from within the pocket of his heavy overcoat. After checking the time, he adjusted his course so as to take him in the direction of a small café. Upon reaching the little place, he made his way inside, ignoring the stares that he received as people recognized who he was. He seated himself at a corner table in one of the more barren corners of the establishment. He had no desire to be bothered by anyone and made this very clear by his complete disregard of every person who attempted to approach him out of curiosity in regards to his true identity. After some time, he took note of the fact that the owner of the establishment was continually glancing his way. It was obvious that he was less than pleased that Eyes had decided to loiter about his café without ordering anything. Not wishing to be asked to leave, Eyes signaled one of the waitresses and ordered a cup of tea. Said tea quickly arrived and proceeded to cool as it was neglected by the young pianist. The other inhabitants of the eatery felt that the young man's behavior was strange, but paid him relatively little mind. It did not affect them in the slightest if a famous person came into a café unguarded and then sat with his mind disconnected from reality for several hours. They merely counted it as one of the oddities of a celebrity.

Eyes noticed everyone's glances and stares but paid them no mind. Every so often he would scan the crowd for anyone who could be a potential threat, but aside from that he remained motionless, cold eyes focusing on the cup of tea before him that had long been devoid of any warmth. He watched many of the patrons conclude their business and leave only to be replaced by others arriving for the same purpose as those departing. He watched all this with little amusement, possessing no care for the daily lives of the individuals occupying the café. After some time he produced his phone from his pocket once more to ascertain the amount of time that had passed. Seeing that he had been occupying the corner of the café for nearly three hours, he again summoned a waitress, having her remove the now-cold cup of tea and replace it with a fresh one. He then settled back to continue his vigil.

Another two hours passed, once again allowing the untouched tea to grow cold. The keeper of the establishment was getting quite disgusted with the young loiterer and was about to ask him to kindly vacate the establishment when he heard the tinkling of the bell above the door and noticed the performer rise. The café owner turned away from the pianist in order to face and greet the newest arrival. The individual that he was met with was a male teenager with longer reddish brown hair that cascaded over the right side of his face to obscure his eye and much of his cheek from view. The left eye that still remained visible was dark blue in color and held a reserved and cold glint. The teen ignored the owner's friendly greeting and scanned the establishment from where he stood just inside the doorway. His searching gaze fell upon Eyes standing in front of a table in the corner. It was at this time that the boy turned his attention to the café owner, giving him a slight nod of acknowledgment and greeting before dismissing him from his mind and heading in the direction of the awaiting pianist.

"You're early." The boy said as a way of greeting the musician as he joined him beside the table. Eyes made no remark and resumed his seat at the table. His companion followed his example and took a seat opposite Eyes. Summoning the waitress, the young man, Hiroshume Hadaka, ordered a drink for himself and requested a fresh cup of tea for Eyes before returning his attention to his celebrity companion. "I've made all the necessary arrangements for what you requested." He said, crossing his arms on the tabletop and spinning his phone carelessly in his hand. Eyes responded with a nod. "I appreciate it." He said in his characteristically unfeeling manner. Hiroshume looked up from the phone to gain eye contact with the pianist. "Though I don't completely understand your reasoning for leaving a profitable career to return to high school." He said thoughtfully. Eyes didn't move to respond and turned his attention to the window and the world beyond the glass. His companion sighed. "Fine, I understand that you have secrets and most likely you have a reason for doing this." He said, nodding a silent thank you as he spoke to the waitress that had arrived with his order. Eyes nodded, but didn't provide any more of a response than that. Finding his companion in a less than talkative mood, the teen contented himself with finishing his drink and entertaining himself with his phone. When he had finished what he had ordered, he stood and looked down at Eyes, who had broken his gaze away from the window to ascertain the reason for his companion's sudden movement. "If you've got the time, how about we go somewhere? It might be nice to talk face to face for a change." He said.

Eyes had been in contact with Hiroshume for several years, however this was their first in-person meeting. Prior to this point, all communication had been conducted asynchronously. Eyes had first received contact from Hiroshume when he was just starting out as a professional musician. It had been a stressful and lonely time for Eyes, as his new career had taken him away from his home, as well as everyone he cared for. Their communications had begun when Eyes Rutherford was only fourteen. He had returned to his hotel room in the early hours of the morning preceding a rather successful concert. Fatigued and longing for home, the young performer had elected to see if he had received any online communication from the best friend he had left behind in England. What was found was surprising to the young man, for the message that awaited him was not from the person he had hoped for. Instead of a message written in the familiar style of Kanone Hilbert, he was met with a rather unique message typed in a strange style that bore the trademarks of someone unaccustomed to the English language. Upon checking the sender information, the young celebrity came upon the realization that the message had come from Japan. Initially, he entertained the possibility that the message might have been from one of the Blade children residing in Japan. However, as he scanned the contents of the message, he quickly came to the conclusion that the message did not belong to any of the Japanese Blade Children he was aware of. The contents of the message said:

_"It's nice to meet you, Eyes Rutherford. _

_I sincerely hope that you will refrain from deleting this message long enough to read what it contains. It has taken quite a bit of effort to compose this, as I am not altogether familiar with your language, so I would appreciate it if you would grace me with the benefit of at least reading what I have to say. If at this point you are still reading, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hiroshume Hadaka. I am thirteen years old which, if my information of your age is accurate, places me as one year you're junior. _

_If you are wondering how I came by your account information, I will, at this point, inform you that I hacked in to find you. Knowing this, I hope that you will not attempt to change your contact information, as that will be unpleasant for me to try and find you again. However, if you do decide to try and hide yourself from me, know that I will find you again. I have taken an interest in your current situation and would enjoy the opportunity to talk a bit with you._

_I can imagine that it must be quite the challenge for someone so young to transition from a normal life to one of a young genius celebrity. It is for this reason that I have contacted you. I would like to propose a friendship between you and I. Consider it as a way to bring a bit of normalcy into your currently uprooted world. Your situation is enviable, but also a bit pitiable. I'd imagine that you have relatively little contact with those who were formally close to you. I know all too well how easily friendship depreciate and decay when left uncared for. It is for this reason that I am proposing this to you. Allow me to be someone with whom you can rely on._

_Know that I am not doing this because you are a celebrity. I have no intentions or desires to gain anything from you beyond a friendship with you. To be entirely honest, I am only proposing this because I am terribly bored with my current life situation and I believe that creating a connection with you could be beneficial and entertaining to both of us. _

_It is up to you what you decide, but whatever your decision, please contact me at least once to inform me of your choice. I will keep in touch with you until I hear from you as to whether you desire to establish a regular communication between us or if you are fine in your solitude. Here is my contact information: xxxx-xxxxxxxxx . I look forward to hearing from you._

_Best regards,_

_Hiroshume Hadaka_

_XXXXXXX, Japan"_

Though a bit apprehensive, Rutherford had responded to the strange message after several follow up messages appeared, speaking on relatively the same lines as the first. To this day Eyes denied it, but at the time the young musician had relied heavily on the communications he had with Hiroshume. His new acquaintance was friendly and open. Hiroshume Hadaka had acted as a supporting pillar in a time when Eyes wasn't sure what fate had in store. For that, Eyes was still grateful.

Giving a nod, Eyes rose from his seat. He placed the required cash amount for their orders before departing the establishment. Once they had made their way back into the now bustling street, Hiroshume moved from where he had been trailing a few paces behind to walk even with his companion. "It's nice to finally meet you formally after all these years." They young man said, attempting to begin a conversation with the apathetic musician. A nod was the only response he gained as a result of his efforts. Hiroshume sighed allowing his shoulders to slump forward in defeat. "Fine." He mumbled under his breath as they walked.

Eyes led Hiroshume back to his penthouse apartment. By the time they had arrived the rained had changed from the light drizzle of the morning into a replication of the night's down pour. Both entered quickly into the building's lobby, pleased that they no longer had to contend with the elements. Pausing momentarily to shake the water from their umbrella's, Eyes led the way up to his apartment. Upon arrival, Hiroshume let out a low whistle as his eyes slowly scanned the massive room. "Impressive place." He commented, taking in the whole of the interior and its contents. Getting no response from Eyes, the hacker attempted a different angle. "So how have you been? You requested for me to set things up here in Japan and then vanished. Before yesterday I hadn't heard from you in over a month." He said, following Eyes deeper into the room. He seated himself on the plush, white sofa as Eyes took up his usual place before the window. "I'm sorry for not keeping you more informed. Lately I've been quite busy getting everything in order and have not had much spare time to contact you between farewell concerts." Eyes replied, his tone harboring next to no feeling. Hiroshume nodded, understanding the level of difficulty such a decision would pose for someone in Rutherford's position. At this point, the room fell silent. The silence persisted for several minutes before the young performer turned his back on the window and made his way over to the piano. Seating himself, he began to play, disregarding the fact that Hiroshume was still there. But said teen didn't mind. He enjoyed being able to listen to a live performance of the compositions his had listened to countless times off of the pianist's various albums.

Hiroshume remained at the penthouse for several more hours, listening to Eyes practice and occasionally talking to him. Midway through the visit, the teen had succeeded in drawing the apathetic musician into a two-way conversation, which lasted for over an hour. Night was falling when Hiroshume at last bid Eyes farewell and left to return to his own home. Alone once more, Rutherford abandoned his post at the piano and went to stand before the window once more. He watched the rain for quite some time, allowing his thoughts to play out within his head. The day now nearing its end was the first in the weekend. Monday he would start attending the school which harbored the other Blade Children, Tsukiomi Academy. At that point he would be able to obtain full contact with his allies and start establishing a plan of attack for them to utilize. Only one day stood in his way. As the sky gave up its grasp on daylight, Rutherford turned his back to the window once more and quietly left the room. As with the previous night, all he could do now was wait.


	3. Chapter 3: Reunion with Old Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own this. Spiral: The Bonds Of Reasoning is the property of Kyo Shirodaira and Eita Mizuno. The only ownership I claim is for this story and the OCs involved.

_A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read "Who Knows What Fate May Hold For You". I hope that you are enjoying it. I'm sorry for taking so long with this chapter, but I hope you enjoy it. Reviews are greatly appreciated, whether good or bad. I would love to know what you all think of this story._

_Unfortunately my next chapters will be slow in coming, as I am really busy with school work this semester. However, I intend to work on the following chapters at least a little every day, so keep checking for new updates. Please Rate and Review. I'd love to know your thoughts on this story._

_~~~ Spiral of Destiny ~~~_

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The sun rose to awaken the first clear day Japan had seen in over a week. Eyes Rutherford rose early and proceeded to occupy the whole of the morning at the piano. Once the sun had fully risen, he retired from the piano to stand before the glass panes of the window. His eyes watched as the people on the ground below him bustled around in the long-missed clear weather. The young pianist had requested, at the time of their departure the previous night, that Hiroshume return the next day. For this reason, the musician continually glanced at the door, impatiently awaiting his friend's advent. When he at last heard a muted rapping on the penthouse door, he was quick to open it and allow entrance to his companion.

Hiroshume glanced over at Eyes quickly before averting his gaze once more and sighing. "Why do you always look as though you've been waiting a long time for me to show up?" He asked. The pianist gave no response to his irritated guest. "If you wanted me here earlier, you should set the time earlier." He continued. Again he was met with silence. Sighing once more, Hiroshume dropped the matter and turned to face the musician, who had followed him deeper into the room. "I contacted the people you requested yesterday. I got a response from all five of them. Three will be able to come here today. The fourth is currently out of the country, but he said that he received a letter from you a week ago and to tell you that he will be arriving in Japan within this next week. The fifth said that he has other obligations to attend to and will just talk to you at school tomorrow." Hiroshume announced, slipping his phone from within his jacket pocket and scrolling slowly through the list of messages displayed. "I took the liberty of choosing a meeting time for them to arrive, as you did not specify one when we were talking yesterday." Hiroshume continued, never looking at Eyes. Seeming to have found what he had been looking for, he turned the phone so the screen was facing Eyes and held out the phone for the pianist to take. "Here is each of their individual messages to you. When I contacted them, I told them to message me back with confirmation, and if they had anything they wanted me to present to you before they arrive, to send a second message with the subject as PRIVATE." He explained before falling silent. Eyes nodded in response but gave no other indication that he was listening. The young musician scanned quickly over the messages before deleting them and returning the phone to the waiting hacker. Said hacker proceeded to take the phone that was offered to him and return it to the confines of his pocket before speaking once more. "I set the meeting time for an hour and a half from now. They should begin arriving then. Due to your cryptic manner of revealing information about how you are involved with these people, I assume that you would prefer that I dismiss myself before they arrive?" He asked. Eyes nodded. "Yes. I need to speak to them about something concerning a matter that you are not involved in." Eyes said simply, placing a hand on the piano and focusing his attention on the keys. "While I don't expect that you will give me a reason, but it seems a bit odd that a celebrity like you, who was raised in England for his entire life before becoming a concert pianist, would be in any way involved with such low-standing Japanese teens. There is nothing remarkable about them and one even possesses a bit of a criminal record for violence." Hiroshume pointed out, once again looking at something on his phone. He didn't expect an answer from the ever-secretive Eyes Rutherford, but given the fact that the strange connection had grabbed his interest, the young hacker felt it couldn't hurt to ask before he began digging deeper into anyone's backstory. To the teen's surprise, Eyes diverted his attention from the piano to focus briefly on Hiroshume. "It's from a connection I had in the past." He replied indifferently. "When I was younger, I spent a bit of time in Japan. It was during that time that I met the individuals that I had you contact. That's all." He finished. Hiroshume looked at him doubtfully. "It seems slightly unlikely that you would have some private matter that demands discussing if they were only mere acquaintances from the past." Hiroshume pointed out. Eyes didn't respond. He had redirected his attention to the glass window as his companion had been speaking and he didn't look away now. Seeing that Eyes had no intention of responding, Hiroshume allowed the matter to drop, as he didn't feel the need to concern himself with his companion's personal relationships or reasons for keeping such company. The hacker had to admit that he couldn't fault Eyes for keeping company with the five he had contacted, as his own background was easily worse than anything that appeared for the pianist's other associates. Nothing more was said for a substantial amount of time, until Hiroshume chanced to cast a glance at the time before turning his attention to Eyes once more. "Call or message me if you require anything else. Your guests should be here in about fifteen minutes." He said as he made his way to the door to let himself out. Eyes Rutherford, who had made his way over to the window when the silence had begun, looked over at his departing friend and nodded. "Thank you for your help. I'll see you tomorrow." He said. Hiroshume glanced back over his shoulder at Eyes before giving a brief wave with the back of his hand and exiting the apartment, leaving Eyes alone.

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Twenty minutes elapsed after Hiroshume's departure before Eyes was pulled from his silent thoughts by the abrupt knocking at the apartment door. Another impatient knock was heard as the pianist neared the door. Opening it, he stood before a young girl half his height with bright grey eyes and long hair of the same color drawn back in two pigtails. Despite her appearance, the girl was less than a year younger than the pianist. The girl's eyes brightened when she saw him and a delighted grin appeared on her face. "Eyes!" She cried happily, leaping forward to wrap her arms around his waist in an affectionate hug. Eyes couldn't help but smile at the girl hugging him. "It's good to see you again, Rio." He said, his voice slightly warmer than normal. The girl, Rio Takeuchi, looked up at Eyes and smiled as well, releasing her friend from the embrace. It was at this point that two more people arrived. One was a tall young man with red, spiky hair and green eyes. He looked to be about the same age as Eyes, if not slightly older. He wore a pair of oval glasses and a longer green and black coat and a pair of blue jeans. His companion was a girl whose head came up to the boy's ear. She had amber colored eyes and caramel brown hair. Eyes turned his attention from Rio to them as they approached. "Yo, long time no see, Rutherford." The red haired boy greeted, giving the pianist a brief wave before replacing his hand in his jacket pocket. Eyes responded with a nod. Meanwhile, Rio had turned to see who was arriving. "Hey, Kousuke, Ryoko!" She exclaimed, cheerfully waving at them before rushing up to them. "I didn't know you were invited too." She said with a sweet smile. "Yeah, we both received a weird email saying that Rutherford wanted to meet with us and gave us this address." The boy, Kousuke Asazuki, explained with a nonchalant shrug. Eyes allowed the three friends to talk for a few moments before moving aside to regain their attention and allow them entrance into the apartment.

"So what's up, Rutherford?" Kousuke asked once they had all entered the penthouse. "Yeah, what brings you back to Japan?" The amber eyed girl, Ryoko Takamachi, questioned suspiciously. She didn't completely trust the indolent pianist, so she desired a full explanation of his intentions before deciding to cooperate with him.

Eyes had gone to stand beside the piano. His guests had made their way over to the white couch sitting opposite the piano. The two females had seated themselves and the male of the group had opted for leaning against the arm rather than sitting. The three looked at Rutherford expectantly, waiting for an answer. Sighing slightly, the apathetic musician seated himself on the piano bench before giving his full attention to his guests. "Kanone has most likely already informed you about the increased "Hunter" threat that is going to descend on Japan soon?" Eyes questioned. The three nodded, their expressions becoming serious.

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The "Hunters" were one of three groups involved with the Blade Children. The other two groups consisted of the "Savers" and the "Watchers". Of these three groups, the "Hunters", were the ones that desired to do the Blade Children harm. Each of the groups operated for relatively similar purposes. Originally, the three groups had been merged into one. These individuals had made up the original team that had established the Blade Children project. The Blade Children project was designed to create humans with heightened intelligence and abilities. This was accomplished by creating test tube babies sharing the DNA of someone with the desired "god-like" characteristics. However, when the god-like man became more of a devil than a god, his children were looked upon in a new light. With the threat that the shared DNA possessed, the Blade Children project was cancelled. But what of the children that already existed. There was substantial controversy about the future of the Blade Children. Ultimately, the original group fractured, breaking apart into the three aforementioned groups. The "Hunters" desired the death of the Blade Children. They believed that the Blade Children needed to be wiped from existence, returned to the darkness they came from, before they had a chance to follow in their father's murderous footsteps. The second of the groups, the "Savers", disagreed that the Blade Children needed to be slaughtered like animals for the actions of the one who's DNA they shared. This faction worked to try and protect the Blade Children from the evil intentions of the "Hunters". Unfortunately, the "Savers" were few in number to start with. Currently, very few "Savers" remained, leaving the Blade Children to fight for their own survival. The third faction was the percentage who felt that action of any kind was premature. The "Watchers" elected to see how fate decided to play out before deciding whether the children needed to be eliminated. Unlike the former two groups, who were actively involved, in one way or another in the Blade Children's lives, the "Watchers" opted to quietly observe without getting involved.

* * *

"It has become more serious than Kanone and I originally anticipated. For this reason, I have decided to involve myself once more in this matter." Eyes Rutherford explained solemnly. "But Eyes," Rio began, looking with concern at the performer. "What about your career?" "Yeah, I mean is it really okay for you to be here in Japan right now?" Kousuke agreed, looking from Rutherford to Rio, concern as well as slight confusion showing in his emerald green eyes. Eyes shook his head. "It's fine. I have already taken a leave of absence from the music world and have made my decision public." Rutherford explained calmly. "It is perfectly fine that I am here in Japan right now." He continued. The three guests nodded in unison at Eyes' explanation, though their expressions showed clearly their unease about the decision. "So it's gotten that bad, huh?" Kousuke questioned, focusing on the floor rather than his host as he spoke. Eyes nodded, softly verbalizing the action. Ryoko, who had be sitting quietly up to this point now turned her attention upon the stoic pianist. "So what is the plan, then?" She asked brashly, glaring Rutherford down. "If you're here, then it must mean that you and Kanone have come up with a plan to fight back." The three other occupants of the room silently looked with surprise at Ryoko, who had spoken rather directly, before Eyes' expression returned to its usual appearance and he nodded. "For now, I've had it arranged that I will enroll at Tsukiomi Academy with the rest of you, starting tomorrow." He began. A look of surprise and shock was evident on the faces of the three listeners.

"You're doing what?" "Eyes, that's crazy!" "What are you thinking, Rutherford?!" These responses came simultaneously from the three sitting across from the young pianist. Kousuke was on his feet by now, and appeared more angry than shocked at the moment. Rio simply remained where she was, a look of surprise on her face and Ryoko appeared confused. Seeing that more questions were soon to follow the previous ejaculations, Rutherford held up a hand for the three to allow him to continue uninterrupted, as he had no intention of allowing this to turn into a question and answer session. "Kanone and I have spent much time discussing what to do about this situation and ultimately, he feels that my attending Tsukiomi is the best method for the time being." His tone was serious as he spoke. He focused his attention on his hands which were clasped before him. "So then, does that mean that Kanone is coming back to Japan as well?" Asazuki was the first to speak. He sounded confused and unsure, but he trusted Rutherford to do what was best for the Blade Children, so he didn't voice any disagreement for the plan. All of the Blade Children present knew that it was unlikely that the famous Eyes Rutherford would undertake something as drastic as the proposed plan without Kanone being somewhere nearby. A nod from the pianist confirmed their suspicions and the room visibly relaxed slightly. After a few moments of silence, Rio spoke.

"So what exactly is the situation, Eyes?" She questioned, her eyes focused and serious. "If the situation is bad enough to pull you back into the game, then we need to know everything so we can prepare." She finished. The others nodded in agreement. Eyes sighed, still focusing on his hands. "I will tell you what I know, but even I am quite in the dark in regards to the magnitude of the current situation. Kanone said that he will inform us of everything once he is here in the country." He replied. Kousuke frowned. "It's not like Kanone to keep secrets from you." He observed, voicing what everyone, including the pianist, was thinking. The comment did not require a response, so Eyes gave it none. Instead, he turned his attention to the topic at hand. "This is the situation so far…." He began.

* * *

Eyes stood alone once more in his apartment. He stood with his gaze fixated on the world beyond the window, but his mind was elsewhere. He had spent the last three hours discussing the current situation with his fellow Blade Children. He had lied to them all. Eyes was a master at keeping secrets, but it still felt wrong hiding things from his comrades. Still, he couldn't justify divulging the full extent of what he knew about the current situation until he had time to talk to Kanone about it. The current matter was too dangerous to be taken lightly. With a soft sigh, he slipped his phone from his pocket and began scrolling through the numbers listed. Selecting one, he held the phone to his ear, waiting for the line to connect. Before the phone had been able to ring more than once, it was answered. "To what to I owe the honor of a second summons in one day?" Hiroshume's voice came across slightly sarcastic. Eyes ignored the reaction. "I need you to find out exactly when Kanone will be arriving in Japan." The pianist replied, his tone more serious than usual. "Something change in your plans?" Hiroshume questioned. The sound of typing, and what could easily have been the beeping of a second phone, could be heard in the background. "No," Eyes replied. "I just need to speak with him as soon as he lands." He stated. He heard Hiroshume nod. "Well, he said that he would arrive within the week, but I'll see if I can't get you a more pinpointed date. Why don't you just call him?" He questioned, filling the silence as he worked to carry out the musician's request. Eyes didn't respond. Getting no response, the hacker gave up on conversation. The line was dead for several minutes before Hiroshume spoke again. "From what I can find, he should be landing in the country the day after tomorrow." He replied. "I'll text you the exact times and which airport he'll be at. Though you'll be in school at that time, so it probably won't matter." He said. Eyes nodded, and thanking Hiroshume for the information, ended the call.

* * *

Kanone Hilbert stood beside the window of his hotel room. He was currently in the process of making his way back to Japan. Had it not been for the preparations he needed to make for the upcoming battle, he would have been able to arrive in Japan by the next day. Instead, he stood alone in a run-down hotel room, thinking about what his companions were doing at that moment. With a slight sigh, he turned and left the room. Entering onto the streets of Manchester, England, he walked with his head down, careful not to make eye contact with anyone. No one would know him for what he was, a Blade Child, but there was a possibility of someone recognizing him as Kanone Hilbert. Kanone had been raised in England, growing up alongside Eyes Rutherford, his best friend. He had also spent much of his youth traveling around England, especially in recent years. For this reason, it was not impossible that a former acquaintance would recognize him. That was something he didn't want. It had been years since Kanone had been to Manchester, so the odds were in his favor.

He walked for quite some time before noticing a small park to his left and approached it. As it was growing late, very few people were still occupying the park. At this, Kanone smiled. Without a word, he walked to an empty bench and sat down, enjoying the cool September wind as it blew gently through his tawny brown hair. He remained this way for some time before a soft mewling caught his attention. Refocusing his attention to the ground at his feet, he saw a small, cream colored kitten. It was thin and looked up at him expectantly, warily. Smiling kindly, Kanone slumped to pick up the kitten. Kanone had always loved cats. In fact, they were his favorite animals. He especially loved Himalayans, but he had a soft spot for all cats.

Drawing the kitten onto his lap, he stroked it softly. Beginning to purr, the kitten cuddled into his coat, pleased at being out of the wind. The young man continued to stroke the small life before speaking. "You should be careful, little one. It's not safe for you to be out on the streets." He said softly. Hearing him speak, curious ice blue eyes turned upward to meet army green eyes. Kanone smiled once more, scratching the kitten under the chin. "Unfortunately I can't keep you. There are things I need to do that wouldn't allow me to take care of you. Besides, you wouldn't want someone like me." He continued softly, rubbing the small head. The kitten continued to purr. Kanone remained this way for some time, until a soft rustling of leaves broke the silence. At the sound, the Blade Child's body went on high alert, prepared for his battle reflexes to take over.

Kanone Hilbert was easily one of the most dangerous of all the Blade Children. He was viewed with respect and contempt by the "Hunters" and was at the top of the list of Blade Children the "Hunters" wanted eliminated. Due to his lethal efficiency and battle abilities, Kanone had gained the dubious title of "The Gun With Wings" from the "Hunters". Kanone had been the one to lead the fight against the "Hunters" in years past when the threat had forced the Blade Children to go on the offensive. He was also the one who had trained the majority of the active Blade Children in hand-to-hand combat and weapons use.

Gently lifting the kitten, he tucked the small creature into his inside coat pocket before sitting motionless, listening to the wind. All was silent for several minutes before a muted pop was heard as a bullet discharged from a silencer. Before the sound was even heard, Kanone's battle reflexes took over, allowing him to move ever so slightly to the left. The bullet sailed over his shoulder, impacting a tree that stood opposite the bench. Moving into action, Kanone easily made his way around to the other side of the bench in less than a second and took up shelter behind a sizeable tree. From the direction that the shot had come from, the Blade Child had a good idea of where his attacker was. Knowing this, the Winged Gun didn't bother waiting for a second attack. Moving with agility, he swiftly decreased the distance between himself and his assailants. As he approached, he heard a muffled curse followed immediately by another muted pop from a second shot. Again, Kanone dodged the shot with ease. This last attack provoked a cold smile onto the veteran fighter's lips. "_These "Hunters" are amateurs. They're no threat to me." _ He thought to himself as he overtook the now retreating "Hunters". A look of terror and dread spread across the young "Hunters'" faces as they stood staring at the reincarnation of death itself. I thin smile appeared over Kanone's features as he moved onto the offensive. In less than three seconds the Blade Child had commandeered one of the "Hunters" guns and dropped the men to the ground. Standing amid the chaos of blood splatter and bodies, Kanone looked over his work. Though not one man was left conscious, there was also not a single man that was either dead or in extreme danger of dying. Wiping his finger prints off of the stolen gun, Kanone returned the weapon to the hand an unconscious "Hunter" and turned away.

Kanone quickly left the park, not wanting to be caught as being part of the bloody battle that had just occurred. He seemed utterly unaffected by the whole affair as he stepped into the quiet solitude of a small neighborhood. He wandered the neighborhood for a while before allowing a sigh to escape his lips. Carefully, he retrieved the kitten, which had been sleeping in his coat pocket up until this point, and held it up before his eyes. Man and animal exchanged a brief look before Kanone gave the kitten one final stroke and set on the grass in one of the yards. "Take care of yourself." He said softly before turning and walking away. Not once did he look back. He was heading into hell. He wasn't going to drag anyone else down with him.


End file.
